


It Went Down Like This

by OccasionalStorytelling



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Angst, Crushes, High School AU, M/M, mention of enjolras and grantaire in established relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-19 17:16:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4754621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccasionalStorytelling/pseuds/OccasionalStorytelling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He never imagined that it would go down like this.</p><p>Today was the day… day 365 of Combferre’s stupid crush on Courfeyrac. It had been a whole year of mooning over the boy’s handsome figure and handsome-er face, and it was getting to be too much. All Combferre could do was (go to school, obviously) get home, curl up on the couch with some chocolate, and read sad romances where everything worked out in the end. He always made sure to do his homework first, so he wouldn’t stress about it. He always made sure to replace the love-interest’s name with “Courfeyrac”. God, that boy was so… perfect. It made Combferre want to scream “Courfeyrac!” off a rooftop; he wanted to buy roses and candies and all sorts of romantic gifts for Courfeyrac. He wanted to gently lean over a desk at school and kiss Courfeyrac ever so softly. He wanted Courfeyrac to hold him against the wall as their lips crashed together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He never imagined that it would go down like this.

Today was the day… day 365 of Combferre’s stupid crush on Courfeyrac. It had been a whole year of mooning over the boy’s handsome figure and handsome-er face, and it was getting to be too much. All Combferre could do was (go to school, obviously) get home, curl up on the couch with some chocolate, and read sad romances where everything worked out in the end. He always made sure to do his homework first, so he wouldn’t stress about it. He always made sure to replace the love-interest’s name with “Courfeyrac”. God, that boy was so… perfect. It made Combferre want to scream “Courfeyrac!” off a rooftop; he wanted to buy roses and candies and all sorts of romantic gifts for Courfeyrac. He wanted to gently lean over a desk at school and kiss Courfeyrac ever so softly. He wanted Courfeyrac to hold him against the wall as their lips crashed together.

330 days ago: Enjolras had taken Grantaire on a field trip. Enjolras had dragged along everyone who was available— everyone but Combferre and Courfeyrac. The two had been left alone at school together, and feeling too awkward to find more people, they sat alone all day. Break: they were alone together and Combferre didn’t say anything. Lunch: They were alone together and Combferre noticed that Courfeyrac had freckles… he had to tear his eyes away from his friend time and again. And god, they got on so well together! They had so much in common, they could talk and talk and talk all day… English Class: They were alone together in the hallway during a presentation and they were talking about Enjolras and Grantaire. Combferre said it. Courfeyrac didn’t turn him down, but Courfeyrac wasn't really out yet. This wasn’t really a heartbreak. There was still enough hope to keep Combferre silently wilting for the rest of the year refusing to say anything more and refusing to let it go. Courfeyrac was too perfect. Courfeyrac would never date him. Courfeyrac was everything that mattered. Courfeyrac would never date him.

Now: It had been a year. Combferre had not managed to get over his crush, and it was becoming a problem. They were alone, and Courfeyrac was so perfect… Combferre landed a pun and Courfeyrac was laughing, and god Courfeyrac was perfect.

“Look,” Combferre said shyly. “It’s just… I need you to tell me to stop.”

Courfeyrac looked blankly at him. “What do you mean?”

“I just… I still have that crush on you, from last year.” Courfeyrac’s eyes lit up as he understood. “We can never be together, and I get it, but I can’t get over you and I need you to tell me that it will never happen. And then I need you to still be my friend. Please tell me I’m in the friendzone, and have no chance of leaving it—I want to be with you forever, as your friend, but I can’t do that with this crush.”

Courfeyrac was silent. Combferre steeled himself for the words: This would be it, and he could be free. If he could just get his heart broken by this beautiful, beautiful man, he could heal and move on.

“I was hoping you would bring it up again,” Courfeyrac breathed. A smile flitted across his face. “After the awkwardness of last year, I was too scared to mention it.” Combferre’s breath stopped. He looked into Courfeyrac’s eyes and they shone with light. “Combferre… I WILL go out with you,” Courfeyrac whispered. He leaned towards Combferre tentatively and this could not be happening it was too perfect but it WAS happening and their lips touched and Courfeyrac tasted like strawberries and Combferre remembered that Courfeyrac had strawberries for lunch that day but he was already lost in the kiss and he tangled in fingers in Courfeyrac’s hair and everything was perfect.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

He never imagined that it would go down like this.

Today was the day… day 365 of Combferre’s stupid crush on Courfeyrac. It had been a whole year of mooning over the boy’s handsome figure and handsome-er face, and it was getting to be too much. Combferre had not managed to get over his crush, and it was becoming a problem. They were alone, and Courfeyrac was so perfect… Combferre landed a pun and Courfeyrac was laughing, and god, Courfeyrac was perfect.

“Look,” Combferre said shyly. “It’s just… I need you to tell me to stop.”

Courfeyrac looked blankly at him. “What do you mean?”

“I just… I still have that crush on you, from last year.” Courfeyrac’s eyes lit up as he understood. “We can never be together, and I get it, but I can’t get over you and I need you to tell me that it will never happen. And then I need you to still be my friend. Please tell me I’m in the friendzone, and have no chance of leaving it—I want to be with you forever, as your friend, but I can’t do that with this crush.”

Courfeyrac was silent. Combferre steeled himself for the words: This would be it, and he could be free. If he could just get his heart broken by this beautiful, beautiful man, he could heal and move on.

“You’re in the friendzone.” Courfeyrac said, slowly, quietly, and deliberately. Combferre’s world came down around his ears. This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? To get over his crush, yes, this was fine— “Combferre, it wasn’t as if I didn’t know you still had a crush on me.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“And god knows, you’re a great friend! Just… maybe we shouldn’t hang out until you can get over this, okay? It’s getting weird for me.”

Shit. Shit. Combferre nodded, dumbly, unable to speak. He focused on holding back the tears. This was fine.

“So that’s fine, right?”

“It’s fine.” Combferre choked on the words. Courfeyrac looked at him with a mixture of digest and pity but it was fine. Combferre muttered something about an AP Bio test and shuffled off with his backpack. He didn’t look back to see if Courfeyrac was watching him. Shit. Shit. 

Combferre walked by his friends the next day.

“Hey, get back over here!” Grantaire whooped. “Where are you going?”

“I, um…”

Courfeyrac gave Combferre a pointed look. 

“Sorry, guys, I just have a lot of stuff to do, so umm…” Combferre mumbled the last. He couldn’t finish. He walked away, and heard a lot of discussion following.

“What was THAT about?” Grantaire.

Courfeyrac whispered something to everyone, and loud gasps shoved Combferre around the corner. He ran to the bathroom, and sat on the floor of the stall. He tried not to cry. 20 minutes later, he dried off his face as best he could and left the bathroom. He still needed to eat lunch.

He sat alone. He hoped no one would notice. He couldn’t help but feel as if everyone did.

He sat alone for the rest of the school year.

Courfeyrac started dating a new boy who started school late.

This was fine. He had just never imagined that it would go down… like this.


	2. Imagination

It never happened. Combferre sat with Enjolras and Grantaire and Maris and Eponine and Cosette and Joly and everyone and Courfeyrac, oh, and especially Courfeyrac—Combferre sat with them every day because he never even tried to ask Courfeyrac. It broke his heart every day, but he couldn’t get over his crush and he couldn’t talk to Courfeyrac about it. Courfeyrac never started dating a new kid… but he could, Combferre knew. Combferre could imagine how that would go, how deeply it could scar him.

Combferre could imagine a lot of things.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Courfeyrac liking him, in THAT way. Courfeyrac slamming his locker door and Combferre standing right there, sending his boyfriend off to class with a peck on the cheek and a gentle pat on the other kind of cheek. Courfeyrac’s gentle chuckling as he swooshed off to class, Combferre unable to watch him go because Combferre was also late. Combferre slamming into class, breathless, not from running but oh! he would see his boyfriend again soon.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Combferre, in freshman year. Never worked up the courage to talk to HIM, to talk to Enjolras or anyone—but especially Courfeyrac. Combferre not quite fitting in with other kids, wishing he could be where he belonged but too scared to join them.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Courfeyrac kissing him, in THAT way… and oh, if it wasn’t as perfect as his beautiful hair. The feel of Courfeyrac’s face as Combferre ran his cold hands down his boyfriend’s forehead.

“It’s always so cold in the building,” Combferre apologizing. Courfeyrac’s face rugged and hot from the sun.

“It’s always so hot out here,” Courfeyrac replying. “Keep going. It feels nice…” Combferre happily obliging because it feels so good to be near Courfeyrac, to hold his hands or to run his fingers through his hair or to softly stroke his nose. Combferre poked a freckle. Courfeyrac chuckled.Combferre loved that chuckle. Combferre loved everything about his boyfriend.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Courfeyrac, turing him down in THAT way. The “I never want to see you again,” way. The “You creep me out,” way. Combferre pretending everything is fine and going about his day like usual. Sitting with the group like usual. Courfeyrac seeming to go along with it…

It doesn’t help the utter shame and humiliation Combferre feels inside.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Combferre could imagine a lot of things. Some things were better if you could avoid thinking about them at all. Combferre could fill his mind with thoughts of homework and comics and friends and books and TV shows he needed to watch and art he wanted to make until Courfeyrac would laugh at something, give that little chuckle that Combferre loved… Until then, Combferre was fine. But the world is an amusing place, and a lot of things struck Courfeyrac’s fancy.

Oh, to control your emotions and be able to accept a friendship for what it was! Combferre wished he was Spock.

Courfeyrac chuckled, nose crinkling, eyes squeezed so tight that tears were forced out—Courfeyrac chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its getting slightly less completely full of angst, I suppose-- wait for the sadness tp life, we'll see if I have the heart to let them be together for real. *wink*

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry


End file.
